Automobile inclosure



July 3, w23: 1,469,529

. =G. E BlsHoP AUTOMOBILE INCLOSURE Filed Jan. 20, 'A922 2 Sheets-Sheetl 15 5 1 ffl 3Q GA. SHEET METAL VALANCE il ?Z f6 T`"`""" l 9 i f. i f/METAL. STIEFENEE rromvir F76 I 20 July 3, 1923.

L460.529 G. E. BISHOP AUTOMOBILE' INcLosURE Filed Jan. 20. 1922 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Arrogswrr To all 'whom 'it may concern.'

y 1,460,529Y i. HCE@ GEORGE E. BISHOP,l OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

' v'nu'roiiroisiiin Iiiicnosunn.

Application filed January 2o, i922. semi No. 530,574. d

Be it known that I, Gnonen E. Bisi-for, a citizen of the United States,resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Im-V provements in Automobile Inclosures (CaseS), of which the following is a'specification, the principle of theinvention being herein explained and the best inode in which I havecontemplated applying `that principle, so as to distinguish it from`other inventions. v

My invention relates to vehicle side inclosures and particularly tomeans of this character adapted to be mounted upon the doors of anautomobile so as to ride in and out with the latter as they are openedand shut. Particularly, the invention relates t0 improved means in suchinclosures which relative to a frame upon which the fabric is carried,when theinclosure is not mounted for service, whereby the inclosure canbe v stored in a fairly flat condition. Also, the inclosure frame andfabric can swing, relative to the rod and door, as the latter is openedand shut, so as to relieve the inclo- ,sure of strains to which itwould-otherwise be subjected.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailcertain means embodying my invention, the disclosed means, however,constituting but a few of the various mechanical forms in which theprinciples o tf the invention may' be employed.

In said annexed drawings:v

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved inclosure ofA thenon-foldable type v Figure 2 represents a transverse vertical section,upon an enlarged scale, taken in the tion, showing a `modified form ofsupporting rod and modified means for connecting the same to thesupporting frame; A

Figure 7 represents a vertical transverse section, upon an enlargedscale, taken 'in the of supporting rod which can be not only yplaneindicated by the line vVII-VII, Fig- ,y Vure 6; i i i turned but alsorolled or folded in the .cur-

tain for storage, the inclosure hereinshown Vbeing of a type allowingforv rollingy or folding.

' Figure 9 represents ia fragmentary side elevation, upon an enlargedscale,l of the,

supporting rod shown -in Figurel 8, j

Figure 10 represents a side elevation of `a third modified form ofsupportingrod; .allow for the turning of a supporting rod lFigure 11represents'a fragmentary elevation taken from the plane indicated igure13 represents, upon( an enlarged scale, a horizontal longitudinalysectiontalc en in the plane indicated by the line XIII- XIII, Figure 12.

Referring to the annexed'drawings and j. particularly to Figures 1'to.7,in which the parts are indicated by the same respective ordinals in theyseveral views, I .indicate suitable curtain fabric by the lordinal inwhich is mounted a suitable transparency 2 disposed in the heading abovethe automobile door 36.' I/Vhen the Ainclosurey is designed for use alsolaterally of said door heading, they fabricL extension is provided withthe `transparency 3. The inclosure is A,

designed, as the door 36is opened and shut, to ride on .the door,breaking between the transparencies 2 and 3 (in the type shown .inFigure 1) in the plane containing 'the vertical projection ofthe doorhinges. Suitable strengthening means for holding the curtain fabric 1taut are provided by means of a flat rod member 4 disposed nea-ru'theupper edge of the Afabric andV preferably incorporated within the latterand'extend-v ing from a point adjacent the opening edge 1 of the fabriclrearwardly to a` point'adjacenty the line of breakage of the inclosureand a metal strengthening member disposed near the bottom edge. ofthefabric 1, thev iio same being preferably a thin sheet metal plate 5extending longitudinally from a point adjacent the opening edge 1 of theinclosure to a point adjacent the line of breakage, and extendingvertically from the bottom edge of the fabric 1 to a line somewhat abovethe top edge of the automobile door 36. lVhere the inclosure is designedfor use also laterally of the door heading, a rear bottom edge sheetmetal strengthening member 6 is disposed adjacently below thetransparency 3. To complete a U-frame strengthening member (Figure 1) Iprovide a vertical front metal member, preferably a flat rod 7,pivotally secured at its respective bottom and upper ends 8 and 9 to thebottom sheet metal strengthening member 5, and the upper rod 4pc.' Inthe type shown in Figure 1, I provide a second vertical rod 7 pivotallysecured at its bottom end to the sheet metal member 6 and at its top tothe rear of a metal reinforcing valance member 13 which will later befully described. I have shown and described Valances of this generaltype in previous patent applications and have particularly patented thesame in U. S. Letters Patent, No. 1,244,692. To the type of valance thuspatented I have, in the showing made in this application, added metalreinforcements. I shall now describe the valance as a whole includingthese reinforcements, rlhe fabric portion of the valance consists ofsections 14 and 15, rear section 14 being riveted to the portion of theinclosure laterally of the door heading, as indicated by the ordinals11, and capable of being suitably secured to the canopy top, asindicated by the ordinals 12. The valance is not rigidly secured 'to theinclosure portion above the door heading, and in fact, is only a bumperfor said inclosure portion as the door 36 closes, Figure 7. The forwardvalance portion 15 is capable of being secured to the canopy top, asindicated by the ordinal 16. lVithin the fabric valance sections 14 and15, I incorporate a reinforcing strengthening member, preferably thesheet metal member 13.

The inclosure proper above described. is designed to be mounted upon theautomobile door 36 and to this end I provide a cylindrical supportingrod 18 having preferably, and if the desired lapping of the inclosure,as well as the automobile construction so requires, an offset lower end19 provided with a plane extreme end portion 2O adapted to engage aco-operating socket secured to the door 36 or mounted therein, toprevent the turning of the rod 18 upon or in the door 36. Pivotallysecured to the fabric 1, and preferably to the longitudinalstrengthening member f1 also, is an upper supporting rod tip sectionl21, as plainly shown in Figure 1. This tip 21 is formed with a tubularrecess 22 adapted to receive the extreme upper end portion of thecylindrical rod section 18. In order that the rod 18 may be suitablymovably held to the inclosure proper, I provide the improved securingmeans now to be described. These means comprise a Cylindrical metal clip23 secured adjacent the lower opening edge of the fabric 1 andpreferably also rivet-ed to the sheet metal strengthening member 5, theclip having a recess 25 adapted closely to receive the supporting rodsection 18. The clip section forming the wall of this recess 25 isformed with a horizontal longitudinal slot 24 which is intersected by apin 26 secured to the supporting rod section 18. This constructionprovides economical and eiiicient means for holding the bottom of theinclosure closely to the supporting rod and also for turning the rod,vwhen theinclosure is 'removed from the automobile door, so that the rodcan be stored in a flat condition. The rod section 18, of course, turnsalso in the swinging tip 21. It is evident also that 'the inclosureproper, when assembled, can turn upon. the rod 18 by means of thepivotal connection of said rod 18 with the rod tip 21 and by reason ofthe fact that the clip 23 is free to move about the rod 18, the slotportion 24. travelling by the pin 26. relieves thc inclosure of manystrains to which it would be subjected, whenit rides in and out with thedoor 36, if the rod 18 were rigidly secured to the inclosure proper. Thepivotal connection at the points 8 and 9 between the upper and lowermetal strengthening members 4 and 5 and the lverticallydisposedstrengthening member 7, is obtained by punching a hole through one 'ofsaid members and punching the other member so that the material thereofis laterally extended into a broken generally conical protuberanee whichis inserted through the hole of the first-mentioned member and then theouter edge of the protuberance upset to produce a secure connectionwhich, however, allows for the relative pivotal movement of the twomembers. This sort of a connection permits the throwing upvof the rearofthe inclosure into proper position by reason of the relative pivotalmovement of the parts of the supporting frame. It will be noted that inthis construction the whole inclosure is stiifened except in the line ofthe door hinges. In the type shown in Figure 1, the pivotal connectionsbetween the members 6 and 13 and the vertical member 7 are obtained inthe same manner, and this type of connection is particularly shown,described and claimed in my pending application, Serial No. 398,138.

In the form of inclosure illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the supportingrod tip section 21 is formed with a vertically-disposed open-endedrecess 27 in its upper end which is adapted to receive the longitudinalThis strengthening `member *A modified Vand permanent connectionbetweenv the rod sec-v tions 18 and 21, which also allows for theirrelative pivotal movement,- is also disclosed in that the upper journalend of the rod section 18 is of reduced cross-sectional area'k andisformed with an annular peripheral recess into which extends anAinwardly' projecting bead or lug 28 formed the lower tubular section 22-of vthe rod tip. 21.

- In the form of device r illustrated vi n'-I*`ig uresl 8 and 9 modifiedmeans forseparably holding together the tip 21 andthe mainl supportingrodsection 18 is shown. Thesev modified means consist in a sleevel'formed of end sections of varying ydiameters andan intermediateshoulder 31" which normally rests upon the top of the rod ysection 18lwhich-is oflarger cross-sectional areathan -the solid tipA 21. The'adjacent ends of the tip 21( and the-rod 18 `'abut inthe assem'l bledcondition of thev inclosure land Vthe shoulder 81v inthe assembledycondition of the'inclo'sure lies Substantially in the'y same planeasthese abutting endsof-the rod 18 and the tip 21". The respective endsjofthe vsleeve 31 cloosely and slidably receive the 'abutting ends of therod 18 and the tip 21.

Also the form ofsupporting frame shown is a modified type in-that vthevertical side member 7 is omitted, so thatthe frame is collapsible."Now,t when itl is desired Vto collapse the supporting rod, the section 18 thereof is relieved 'from the sleeve-31 simply by raising vsaid-sleeveinto the position shown dotted linesin Figure V9, lwhen said rod section18 'can be turned down into any 'dee sired position as illustrated byVthe dotted line position thereof in'Figure 8. When Vthis type ofinclosure yis stor,ed,vit is-rolled for folded andthe supportingrodffis'stored in sections therein. '"It is'evident that the -l tip.21 can turnrelativelyto therodz18 so thatin thisform of inclosure Athe sameprovisionis made asin the previously described forms for relievingtheiinclosure .of strains during theopening andclosingrof the .door36.`r Thefsleeve 31 andk its vrelatedv elements, for use in a structureof lthis type, V-is .particularly patented to me in U. S. Patent: No.1,323,439. 1

In the formv of device illustrated in Fig ures 10 and 11, I havedispensed with the` tip 21 and therefore with the 'means for allowing arelative movement, when assem-v bled, between the top of the inclosureand the supporting rod, and have utilized simply the form of rod whichis disclosedin Fig` ure 6, this form of rod in Figures 10 and 11 beingindicated by the ordinal 32 and eX- tendingV upwardly lto the'longitudinal strengthening member 4 which it engages through the mediumof the open-ended recess 27. In this form of rod the bottom supportingend 20 may be circular in cross- `tached to i.the'i sheet metal 38.byrnean'sof tothe fabricadj acentthel upper`v` edge ofand'mounting-receivingand securing means section, inasmuch as the rod:annotturny in` thefdoor socket duev 'tothe `non-.turning .con-'fnection, atthe top ofthe rod,l with `the strengthening member 4. 1;, Inthe form of nclosureshownfi'n Figures socket attachmenty to the door 36,through the mediumof'a pair offrent 'and ,rear sup...`

porting-rods18,;I-haveamade theperipheral .7 l f vstrengthenirig frame'of one continuous piece ofY sheet metalf extending from .the trans'-parency 2 tothe edge ofthefabric v1; also' show ahorizontally disposedwoodstrip 3,4 'disposedparallell adj acently above'' the top edgefofthedoorl-Sw and to whichis at;v

claim is:

yisfa'ttachedv the usual inclosure flap; which i 'l l' y' maintains thej proper horizontal relation of ythe-'inclosuresection. A j' Y* l. 'AAn; automobile: side adapted lic' strengthening means for said fabric;

' toI bemounted-,upon vv,the automobile door, i lcomprising suitablelcurtain' fabric;v metall.v '90l means `for mounting thelinclosurefuponythe door, 4said mountingl means being connected vto jy thev yfabr'ic-fadj acent the upper- 'e'dgefv of .the lattergya'ndmounting-receiving vand se curing means secured toy the. fabricvadjacent thelower 'edge' of the latter,-th'e= jmounting ybeing.turn'ablie,in said'last-mentionedmeans. v y2. 14n-automobilesideinclosure lada ted'v to' lbe mounted, .upon *the automobile# oor,comprising suitable V`curtain fabric';-metalf lic strengtheningmeans for.saidffabricgl means for mounting the inclosureA Iuponthe door, y'saidmounting means .being vconnected the flatter butin.movable',relatively-` thereto;

secured t'o'the lfabric adj acentthe lower edge ofthe latter and having.ai-movement about the axis ofthe mountingl lAn automobilesideinclosure?adapted v comprising, suitable ,curtainv v fabric a Ymeetallic vicl-frame incorporated therewith comi l v-prlsing upper 'andflowerymetal members and a lateral lintermediate metal member connectingysaid v`upper :and Zlower members.;

means for mounting the ,inclosure.-uponfthe' door, said mounting meansbeing connected to the fabric adjacent the upper edge of the `latter butkmovable relatively thereto; and

mounting-receiving and 'securing means lselic trame incorporatedtherewith compris- Cil ing vupper and lower metal members and lateralintermediate metaimembers connecting said upper and lower members; meansfor mounting the inclosure upon the door; mounting-receiving meanssecured tothe abric,'movable relatively thereto and receiving one endof' the mounting; 'and Vother mounting-receiving meansy secured to thefabric and receivingthe other end of the mounting, both of saidreceiving means having a movement about the aXis of the mounting. l 1

6. An automobile side inclosure adapted to be mounted upon theauto-mobile door, comprising suitable curtain fabric; a metallic frameincorporated therewith comprising upper and lower metal members andlateral intermediate metal members connecting said upperand lowermembers; a vcylindrical rod having a supporting end non-circular incross-section; a member pivoted to the upper metalmember and having asocket rotatably receiving the upper rod end; and a member secured tothel lower metal member, said last-named member receiving and guidingthe supporting rod but having a movement about the aXis'oil the latter.

7. An auto-mobile side inclosure adapted to be mounted upon Vtheautomobile door, comprising suitable curtain fabric; a metallic frameincorporated therewith comprising upper and lower metal members andlateral intermedia-te `metal members pivot- Yally connected to saidupper and lower members; means for mounting the inclosure upon the door,said mounting means being connected to the fabric; andmounting-receiving means secured to the fabric, the latter meanssecuring said'mounti-ng but having a moven'ient about the axis of thelatter.

8. An automobile side inclosure adapted to be mounted upon theautomobile door, comprising suitable curtain fabric; a metallic frameincorporated'therewith comprising upper and lower metal members andlateral intermediate metal members pivotaxis of the latter.

9. An automobile side inclosure adapted to be mounted upon theautomobile door; comprising suitable curtain fabric; la metalliclU-:trame incorporated therewith comprising upper and lower metal membersand a lateral intermediate metal member connectingy said upper and lowermembers; a y

end; and a cylindrical clip secured to lower p metal .member and havinga.. transverse slot, the supporting rod being received and guided bysaid clip and being formed v.with a pin intersecting said slot.

l0. An automobile side inclosure adapted to be Vmounted uponthe-automobile door, comprising an upper lat rod, a lower sheet metalmember and a lateral intermediate flat rod connecting said upper andlower members; a cylindrical rod having a supporting end non-circularinvcross-section; a member pivoted to the upper rod-and having a socketrotatably'receiving the upper rod end; and a cylindrical clip secured tothe lower sheet metal member and having a transverse slot, thesupporting rod being received and guided by said clip and being formedwith a pin intersecting said slot.

GEORGE E. BISHOP.

Signed by me this 9th day oi' January,

